With Sun comes Shadow
by Time Vortex
Summary: The life of the Boy Who Lived always had its ups and downs. And when good things do occur in his life, there is always a consequence, like with the sun comes shadow. But will there be sun to cast the shadow, or will there always be darkness? AU--ON HIATUS
1. Appointment with Death

**A/N: **Hello Fan fiction community! This is the first installment of my new series. I promise to update as often as I can. I have big plans for this fic (smiles evilly). This is going to be fun...Just so you know; this is AU after 5th year. Sirius is still alive. This starts in the middle of Harry's summer before 6th year

**Disclaimer:** The idea, characters, and practically everything else Harry Potter belongs to one person and one along: JK Rowling. If you did not know this, you have no right to lay eyes on any words concerning Harry Potter.

With Sun Comes Shadow

Chapter 1

An Appointment with Death

Not a sound penetrated the thick silence that had fallen upon Privet Drive with the night. It was absolutely quiet. Yet suddenly, a young teenager, Harry Potter, sat up straight in his bed in house number 4, senses alert. He sat stock-still, listening for the opening of a door, the swishing of a cloak around a corner, soft footsteps—anything. When no sound met his ears, Harry lay back down, letting go the breath he'd been holding.

Despite the fact that it was 1:30 in the morning, Harry had been lying awake for quite some time. He hadn't been able to get much sleep lately. Several weeks had passed since the Department of Mysteries incident, but thoughts and emotions ran wild in Harry's head. This was evident from the dark circles under his eyes and his even-messier-than-normal hair. The already scrawny boy had grown considerably thinner, as well, part of it being because of his rations set by his relatives, and also because of the haunting thoughts that took up his brain. He watched as a shadow gradually faded from the wall as the moon reappeared from behind a cloud. If Harry could sleep, he would. If only he didn't have nightmares every time he tried to rest, or even let his thoughts wander for a moment. But it didn't matter anyway, since his thoughts revolved around the same things while he was awake. They always came back to the same things. Sirius had nearly died because of him. If it hadn't been for Harry's seeker reflexes taking control, Sirius would have been hit by the killing curse, never to take a breath again.

But it had come at a cost, as all things do in Harry Potter's life. As Harry had gone to push his godfather away from the curse (much to the anger of Remus and Sirius for the 'danger' he had put himself in), Harry had shoved him toward the mysterious veil. Time had seemed to stand still, Harry fearing that he would be the killer of his godfather. He could still recall that raw, uncontrolled fear that had gripped his heart for several long moments. But fortune had been on his side that night. Sirius did not fall through the veil, and Harry had gripped his heart and nearly felt like crying in relief. But there were consequences…oh, how there are always consequences…Several of Sirius' fingers on his left hand had grazed the veil, and were now charred and lifeless.

Harry groaned. How could he be so stupid? If he was going to save someone, he could at least to it right. After receiving a few serious talks about leaping in front of life-threatening curses by his parental figures (Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, take your pick), and even some of his friends (mostly Hermione, of course, and even a little from an exasperated Ron), Sirius had assured him that it was really alright to have a few immobile fingers—"better than being dead!" At this thought, Harry grimaced. The pain of losing Sirius would be…unbearable. He loved Sirius like a father, held him close like a friend, and bonded with him like a brother, all at once. And on top of all that, he was the closest one to resembling a parent in his mind. Without him…life wouldn't be the same. Of course, Harry realized that he'd lived without Sirius for at lease eleven years of his life, but…it's like getting a taste of chocolate cake, and being told you're not able to eat the rest. It's impossible.

There were also memories of possession running through thoughts. Voldemort taking full control of his mind had been…excruciating. His head had been ready to burst with the presence of more souls than it could handle. Fighting Voldemort inside himself had been the most painful experience of Harry's life. A sensation equal to white hot knives piercing his skin _from the inside out_ had engulfed his entire body. He could feel the two souls battling within him, racking his body with spasms.

Presently, Harry shuddered at the memory. Every time he closed his eyes to sleep, he could hear Voldemort's cruel hiss inside his own head, telling Dumbledore to kill him. The part that scared Harry the most was—he had agreed with him. The pain had been so terrible; Harry thought it was be better to just end it all. Now, he was grateful that it hadn't, but…at that time, it was the only thought that kept him sane—that it would be over in a few moments. He hadn't told anyone about the possession yet, for a reason he wasn't really sure of himself. Dumbledore knew, of course, but Harry knew he would wait to release that information until Harry was ready. When this was, he didn't know. If it ever came up, he supposed he would mention it to—

Again, Harry shot straight up in his bed, losing his train of thought. He was sure of it this time—there was some sort of noise coming from downstairs. Was it the closing of a door this time? Quietly, with his pulse thumping in his veins, Harry leaned over the side of his bed and pulled up the loose floorboard. From the gap, he removed his wand and a flashlight that he'd stolen from Dudley's extra room before it had been made into Harry's bedroom, then replaced the board. He crept up to the door of his room, looking out into the darkness of the house.

There! The kitchen light flickered on. Harry was positive it had been off only several hours ago. In what seemed like forever, he descended the stairs, keen on keeping the element of surprise on his side, and skipping all the squeaky steps. Was it a Death Eater, or an Order member? Harry knew that the Order kept watch on him; he had seen their shadows as he'd walked to the park everyday, or did his chores outside. But never had they been inside the Dursley's house…The short walk to the kitchen door from the base of the stairs seemed to lengthen immensely, and Harry relaxed for a second upon reaching the door.

Then, with a sweaty palm from the anticipation, he took hold of the doorknob and twisted it as silently as possible. With agility gained from years of dodging his relatives' blows and honed from Quiddich practice, Harry slunk into the semi-lit room. Only one of the three lighting fixtures in the room was on, giving the kitchen a slight orange glow. From the little light there was, Harry could see a tall, dark-haired man in a black cloak facing away from him on the opposite side of the room. In one swift movement, Harry aimed his flashlight and wand at the intruder and switched the flashlight on.

"Did you really think it would be easy if you snuck in when it was dark?" Harry hissed venomously, waiting for the reaction it would cause.

The figure spun around to face him, his cloak spinning around him, a look of surprise on his face. His dark hair was long and somewhat matted down. His eyes flickered from the wand in Harry's hand to his face. Then, as the initial shock started to wear off, his features became more recognizable.

Harry blinked. "Sirius?"

"Yeah, it's me, kiddo," the intruder beamed.

There was something about Sirius' smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, but Harry decided to investigate that later. "What are you doing here?" He began to move towards him.

"I'm on Order business. Just making sure all the wards are up." Harry could have sword an almost evil glint passed through his eyes at that moment. But then it was gone, leaving Harry wondering if it was just a trick of the light.

However, he wasn't about to let it go. All the time he'd spent in Mad-Eye Moody's presence had taught him to be constantly vigilant for Death Eaters or any shady characters. Harry stopped in his tracks on his way over to Sirius and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"…How do I know it's really you?"

Sirius' smile dropped a fraction—it dropped so little, in fact, that the average person would have seen no difference what-so-ever. Since when was Harry average, though?

"Well…let me prove it to you," Sirius said after a moment.

The glint flashed across his eyes again—a glint that didn't belong in his godfather's features. This person—whoever they were—was not Sirius Black. Harry didn't have to think too hard to guess who it might be, and judging by that particular malice that seemed to gleam in his eyes, he had a very good assumption. Time to put it to the test.

"Alright. What so-called 'pureblood' family are you unfortunate enough to share a family tree with?"

Something new shone in Sirius' blue orbs—fury. Harry was on the right track. Now for the proof.

"Oh, well that would be the Malfoys, of course," Sirius replied coldly, in a voice that certainly didn't belong to him.

Gotcha.

Harry wasn't sure who fired the curse first, but all at once there were red flashes of light barreling towards both wizards. The supposed 'Sirius' dodged it jerkily, realizing what was happening at the last second. Harry tumbled out of the way gracefully, having expected it, but none the less felt the heat of the spell as he leaped over it. As he righted himself, he shot an Expelliarmus at his godfather,' who offhandedly waved it away. There was a pause in the battle.

"So, Lucius, still alive? I wouldn't have thought your master that merciful," Harry jeered.

Lucius/Sirius scowled. "How dare you soil the name of the Dark Lord with your mudblood tongue?! Was it so obvious I wasn't your mangy mutt of a godfather?

Harry blinked in surprise. Did this mean the Death Eaters knew about Sirius' animagus form? …Or had that been an empty insult? Did they have Sirius?

Lucius used this moment of distraction to send a curse flying Harry's way. Before he could even comprehend the jet of orange light pummeling through the air at him, the spell connected with Harry's torso, sending him soaring into the kitchen door.

Harry winced. It was not just from the pain (which hurt like hell, by the way), but for another reason as well. When Harry had collided with the door, it had been _open_ (which did nothing to soften the blow). As the momentum had carried Harry backwards, the door could not stop him, so the door slammed back into its frame with a resounding BANG. What was once a private duel…would soon become a circus.

Harry vaguely wondered who would get there first: Aurors, for the use of illegal magic (and a violent use of it, at that); Order members, because Harry was surely in danger; or Uncle Vernon, for waking up the house, doing magic, and having another 'freak' in the house. There was really no doubt about it—Uncle Vernon would be there in a matter of seconds. Harry would have preferred the Aurors—even if he _did_ have a bad history with the Ministry.

As if on cue, the house began to tremble as deep, quick quakes shook the house, which Harry recognized as his Uncle's footsteps. Lucius/Sirius looked around, confused at what was causing the disruption in his concentration. Silently, Harry slid away from the door, and very slowly (due to the bruises forming on his back and head) stood up, using the wall as support. Moments later, the kitchen door was thrust open so fiercely that it was knocked off its hinges and sent flying clear across the room. Lucius/Sirius stared with remote fascination and interest at Harry's now maroon uncle, who was practically bubbling with rage.

For a minute, Uncle Vernon seemed to take in the intruder, Harry leaning against the wall, and the door on the floor. Then, he spoke.

"Boy, what is going ON IN HERE?!"

He'd started in a low growl, but obviously didn't think it was menacing enough, because he ended in a roar. Without another second's hesitation, Vernon Dursley lunged at his nephew, hands outstretched; a look of ferocity on his face. Harry quickly jumped to the side, crashing his hip into the kitchen counter (another bruise to add to the list. That was going to hurt later…), and grabbed hold of it to stay upright. But with no need. When he turned to see where his uncle would be attacking from next, Harry found him lying face down on the kitchen tile, unconscious. He looked questioningly up into the smirking face of Lucius/Sirius. Did Lucius just help him?

"I felt that was a job for my Lord and I, and not to be done a moment sooner than we can get our hands on you."

Lucius/Sirius' hair had begun to lengthen and regain its white-blonde color. His pointed, sneering face was nearly back to normal, as well. The polyjuice potion he was using to assume Sirius' identity obviously wasn't made to last very long. This made a sudden anger flare inside of Harry. Voldemort had thought it'd be an easy capture; he'd send one of his followers to get Harry, and they'd be back within the hour. Did they ever learn? Honestly…Harry looked back up at Lucius with a new determination.

The two stared at each other for a few moments, daring each other to make a move. Just as Harry 's fingers twitched to move his wand and cast a stunner spell, there was a soft sound of a doorknob being turned coming from down the hallway. When the person outside the front door obvious couldn't get it that easily, they could hear the doorknob being turned fiercely, then someone trying to break door down. From where Lucius and Harry stood, they could hear someone shouting spells at the front door, to no success. What was going on? Were there more Death Eaters to help in his capture?

Lucius' smirk spread across his face. "Looks like those wards I was checking work."

"What do you mean?" Harry snapped. What had Lucius done? Was the _Order_ out there?

"Why, little Harry, I thought you were smarter than that. You can figure out how to kill a basilisk, but you cannot understand what I have done? Tsk tsk. You really should stop doing all these death defying stunts and go to your classes."

"What. Did. You. Do." Harry asked through clenched teeth. He had no patience for Lucius' little games.

"Temper now," Lucius scolded, wagging his finger at Harry mockingly. "Let me spell it out for you—I put up my _own_ wards. Wards that won't permit your little Order friends to enter the house." Lucius opened his arms wide in a signifying gesture. "They made it all too easy for my Lord to get to you. Now, be a good boy and come with me. You have an appointment with Death."

The person outside the door pounded their fists against the wood, apparently as a last resort, and their shouting crescendoed. Harry thought he heard several more voices there now, knowing for a fact that Remus and Sirius were some of the loudest ones shouting out there, being able to depict their voices from the rest. Narrowing his eyes at Lucius, Harry barked his retort.

"I've already met him. He just keeps sending me back. REDUCTO!"

Harry aimed his wand at the wall behind Lucius. The wall exploded outward, sending debris flying in all directions. Sidestepping the curse, Lucius had no time to react as a large chunk of the wall landed on his left arm, bringing him to his knees. In a fit of rage, he lifted his good arm and bellowed, "CRUCIO!" Every fiber of his being was filled with loathing and anger towards the Boy Who Lived.

Harry collapsed almost instantly in white hot pain. 'Don't scream, that's what he wants,' was coursing through his mind. As much as he was determined not to scream, he was sorely tempted as the pain built with each passing second. A scream began to form in the back of his throat, but Harry firmly bit down on his lip to keep it there. An eternity passed in what must have been a minute and a half, the house wall still crumbling no less than twenty feet from him. He couldn't take it anymore. Harry's back arched and he released an anguished yell—and then it was over.

The curse had been lifted, and he lay on the ground, panting and trembling. 'That was pretty impressive for Lucius' Harry couldn't help but think. With a grim smile, he looked up into his torturer's eyes, anger and determination evident on his face. If Lucius or Voldemort thought they'd be able to take Harry down without a fight, they were remarkable dense. Aunt Marge had made the same mistake, and look what happened to her.

"What is it you want, Malfoy?" Harry sighed, exasperated, shaking his head.

"I want you dead," Lucius answered, titling his head slightly to the side, as though what he said was obvious. "But in the meantime, I want to take you to the Dark Lord, where the deed will…_eventually_ be done."

Harry did _not_ like the way Lucius emphasized the word 'eventually' at all. He was beginning to get worried. His head was throbbing painfully from his earlier encounter with the door, the rest of him was sore from being under the cruciatus curse, and his sight was coming in and out of focus. The last part might or might not have had something to do with the fact that his glasses were cracked and covered with dust from the crumbling wall. It was a chore in itself to keep himself awake much longer. Would he make it out?

Just then, several people came running around the side of the house, and more apparated behind them. Lucius turned around at the sound of muffled footsteps in the grass and distinct _pop_s. He returned his gaze to Harry with a disappointed groan, like that of a child that had to stop his game to come to dinner.

"We will have to continue this later—and believe me, we _will_ finish this. Death's embrace will welcome you kindly. After all, you've had a reserved spot on 'the other side' for sixteen years. For now, I will leave you and the Order with a souvenir of my visit."

Faster than Harry could have imagined, Lucius whipped his wand out in front of him and shouted the cutting curse. With wide eyes, Harry watched the blaze of light ram into him, and collapsed onto the kitchen counter with a yell of pain. Sharp, invisible knives were slicing into his flesh all over his body. He clutched his chest in agony, leaning over the kitchen counter, and felt warm liquid flow over his arms. How could he go down so easily? He needed to fight back! Showing pain only gave Lucius, and in the long run, Voldemort, pleasure. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to block out the pain. Just when his resolve was about to crack, the spell ended abruptly.

Consciousness was an impossible feat now. Amazingly, he was still standing. Harry opened his eyes wearily and saw Lucius disappear in a swish of his cloak. Sirius and Remus came sprinting through the giant hole in the wall and screeched to a halt. Through a red haze, Harry could see their wide, frantic eyes take in all the surroundings. When their gaze came to rest on Harry, identical looks of horror and urgency took over their faces and they were on the move in an instant. Before Harry could blink, both of them were by his side, each holding onto a shoulder to keep Harry upright.

"HARRY! What happened! Are you alright?!" Sirius yelled unnecessarily, since Harry was right next to him.

Harry opened his mouth to answer, to tell them it was Lucius, that he was fine (like always)…but he was too tired. Sirius and Remus grabbed hold of Harry as he slumped forward, unconscious.

**A/N:** Well, there's chapter one! Next chapter is going to be this same scene—but from REMUS' point of view! Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed thinking it up. If you loved or hated it, let me know. There's a little button below that lets you leave reviews. DO IT! Love yaw!


	2. Tears and Bloodstains

**A/N: **Chapter two everyone! I've been working none stop on this chapter so that I could get it to you, so appreciate it (huffs). Just so you know again, this is Remus' point of view of the entire fiasco that was chapter one. I hope you like it.

**Disclaimer: **JK Rowling is the sole owner of all things Harry Potter. We hail to her for making these fanfics possible.

With Sun Comes Shadow

Episode Two

Tears and Bloodstains

Not a sound penetrated the thick silence that had fallen upon Privet Drive with the night. It was absolutely quiet. Yet suddenly, an adult older than his age, Remus Lupin, sat up straight on the bench in front of house number 1, senses alert. He sat stock-still, listening for the_ pop_ of someone apparating, the rush of wind from a broomstick, whispers in the night—anything. When no sound met his ears, Remus slouched again on the bench, breathing a sigh of relief.

Remus had just thought he'd heard the rustling of leaves, but it was probably only the wind. Ever since Harry had returned to his 'home' (Remus growled at this thought), for the summer holidays, the Order of the Phoenix members had been taking shifts in watching Harry from a distance. Voldemort had made himself known to the entire wizarding world just a few weeks ago, and they couldn't be too careful. The Death Eaters had also has been unsuccessful in obtaining the prophecy concerning Harry's and Voldemort's fates. There was no doubt that they would attempt to use Harry to get it. Remus sighed and put his head in his hands, letting his fingers run through his graying blond hair. That kid was going to give him a heart attack from worrying him so much. Not that he minded. He'd much rather have him as a part of his life than not.

But it wasn't just the fact that Voldemort was after the prophecy…Voldemort had sent visions into Harry's mind to lure him into a trap. Knowing Harry, if anyone was thought to be in trouble, he would be there in a heartbeat. He was practically in the palm of Voldemort's hand. Remus sighed again. _That_ was why they needed to keep an eye on Harry. Who knew what would happen to the poor kid next?

Remus knew for a fact that Harry had also been pretty shaken up after what happened at the Department of Mysteries. The Avada Kadavra curse had been seconds away from ending Sirius' life. Remus had felt his own heart stop for a beat or two when he saw the dreaded curse heading toward his last remaining childhood friend. He'd almost dropped dead himself when Harry had thrust himself in front of Sirius and threw both of them to the ground. It was a relief for him when Sirius had gotten by with only a few unusable fingers. If Sirius had died…Remus didn't know how he'd get by. He'd have to be strong for Harry, but…most of what was left of him would have died as well. Harry wouldn't have taken it much better.

Remus snapped out of his thoughts as he heard a soft sound. Footsteps? His heightened sense of hearing (due to it being so close to the full moon) could hear the light patter of feet on pavement slightly down the street. His eyes shot over the number 4 Privet Drive on the other side of the street. The front door was closing just as he looked at it. Remus' eyes narrowed. It could just be the Dursleys checking to see if there was something outside…they might have heard the same noise Remus had earlier. On the other hand…

Dumbledore had given strict orders not to make themselves known unless there was enough of a disturbance to investigate. Harry was having a hard enough time as it was; he didn't need Order members on top of him after every little thing. He needed time alone. It didn't seem like a Death Eater attack…it was much too quiet. Besides, the wards would keep Death Eater's off the property—the Order checked them every week. None the less, Remus kept a sharp, intent eye on the house.

From Remus' view, he could see the front and side of the house. As he watched, a dim light turned on towards the back, in what Remus recognized as the kitchen from when he'd picked up Harry the summer before. 'They could be getting a midnight snack…' Remus reasoned logically, calming down a fraction. 'I'm probably just being paranoid.' He _was_ going on his fifth hour of watch duty. Any sort of sound startled him.

As if on cue, Remus heard a distinct _pop_. Jumping up from the bench, he spun around with his wand raised, heart beating fast.

He came face to face with Sirius, whose eyes widened in surprise from having his best friend holding him at wand point. Sirius put up his hands to show he meant no harm.

"Moony, it's just me!"

Comprehension dawned on Remus' face, and he lowered his wand, releasing a breath.

"You nearly made me die of fright, Padfoot."

"I'll be sure to do better next time," Sirius said seriously, patting Remus on the shoulder. "I'm here to relieve you."

Remus shook his head. "I want to stay for a little while longer, make sure things are okay."

Sirius' eyebrows shot up and his eyes darted over to house number 4. "Why? What happened?"

Again, Remus shook his head. "Nothing too suspicious. Just some rustling leaves, the front door closing, and the kitchen light turning on…I just want to make sure it's nothing serious."

Sirius' eyebrows contracted in worry. "We'll both stay." He walked around to the other side of the bench and sat down in a huff, crossing his arms determinedly.

Remus complied, sitting down next to Sirius. Neither one of them was willing to let anything happen to Harry.

The next thing they knew, bright flashes of red light filled the back room of the house. Sirius and Remus exchanged anxious looks and were on their feet in an instant. An orange light flashed and there was an echoing BANG! Remus' heart plummeted down his chest in fear. 'I _really_ don't think they're just getting a midnight snack…'

Remus and Sirius ran as fast as their feet could carry them to the Dursley's home. From the house they could hear deep, pounding footsteps and someone bellowing angrily, followed by a _thump_, as though something heavy had fallen. What was going on in there? Sirius reached the door first, twisted the doorknob, and walked into the door, as he had expected it to open. Frustrated, Sirius vigorously jiggled the knob, willing it to open so he could go inside to his godson. Remus stood nearby, hoping against hope that Harry was alright.

"Get out of the way, Sirius," Remus commanded, coming to his senses. He pointed is wand at the door and yelled, "Alohamora!"

When nothing happened, Sirius barked his own unlocking spell, but to no success. Both wizards tried every spell they could think of that would allow them inside. They attempted the Reducto spell and anything else that would somehow get the door or windows open, but they were all merely repelled. Sirius, unable to get inside, resorted to pounding on the door and yelling out Harry's name, expecting someone to answer the door. Remus tried to figure a reasonable explanation for all of this. It was almost as though the wards set up around the house were blocking _them_ out, when it should only keep out anyone with intentions of harm towards Harry…

Someone had meddled with the wards.

"Sirius, I need you to stay here and try to get inside. I'm going to get the Order," Remus said loud enough to be heard over Sirius' desperate calls to Harry on the other side.

Sirius nodded, but didn't stop his attempt to get in the house for a moment. Remus turned on the spot and apparated to Order Headquarters; number 12 Grimmauld Place.

He appeared in front of Sirius' hated home, and watched as it became visible, wondering if it always went this slow. As soon as he was able, he went though the gate and practically ran down the short path and stairs to the front door. He pushed the door open forcefully, annoyed that a single piece of wood could be the only thing standing in the way of saving Harry, and slammed it shut in his hurry. Mrs. Black's portrait screeched in aggravation. Barely stopping to wince at the loud noise, Remus walked hurriedly though the kitchen door where Order members were sure to be. He collided with Mrs. Weasley upon entering and sent her cup of tea flying through the air to crash onto the floor. A small puddle of tea spread from the broken china.

"Remus!" Mrs. Weasley squealed in surprise. She looked up to smile at him, but the smile died on her features. Seeing the urgency in his eyes, she added quickly," What's going on? What happened? Is it Harry?"

Remus did rapid sweep of the room, seeing a small gathering of people around the long kitchen table. Mr. Weasley, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, and Bill were clustered together, along with Kingsley Shackelbolt and Tonks. All of them looked up when they heard Remus come in. It took them a few seconds to register his features but once they had, uneasy looks came over their faces.

"Remus…" Mr. Weasley started apprehensively, breaking the silence, "What is it?"

Remus overlapped him, wasting no time, "Harry's in trouble. We can't get in the house."

Fear shone in every eye in the room. Every person at the table jumped up from their seats immediately.

"Well, let's go then," Ron said, fear evident in his voice.

"You are staying right there, Ronald Weasley," Mrs. Weasley interjected sternly, staring her youngest son in the eye. Ron took a small step backwards under his mother's glare, but held his ground.

Remus tried to take control of the situation. They had no time to spare. "Ron, you can't come. Stay here until we come back with Harry."

The four children looked at Remus indignantly. Had they not just proven themselves at the Department of Mysteries a few weeks ago? Were two of them _not_ of age?

"We're. All. Going," Ginny said forcefully. Fred and George nodded fervently.

Remus hesitated for only a second, due to the lack of time, "Fine, we don't have time to argue, let's go."

Mrs. Weasley looked outraged for a moment that Remus was allowing her children to go into danger, but Mr. Weasley, shook his head.

"Okay, we're apparating to number 4 Privet Drive. Tonks, you take Ron; Kingsley take Ginny; Fred, George, you go on your own." With that, Remus apparated back to Privet Drive, knowing the others would be there shortly.

Arriving back at the Dursley's home, he could hear what sounded like rock crumbling. Several _pop_s sounded, and Remus saw everyone else arrive at the scene, all looking slightly restless.He darted over to where Sirius stood at the front door, the others' footsteps behind right him.

"Remus, I still can't get inside. I can't even apparate inside," Sirius answered Remus' unasked question, sounding extremely distressed. He looked as though he'd been running his hands through his hair, because it was tousled and messy. His eyes were red and had a desperate look to them.

Remus merely nodded briefly and turned to Kingsley. "Take down wards."

Every person present looked at Remus as though he'd gone mad—especially Sirius.

"Are you insane?! That's what's supposed to be keeping him safe!" Ron exploded, waving his arms emphatically.

Sirius nodded his head fiercely, obvious in agreement, but at a loss for words. Take down. The wards. That were keeping. His godson. Safe? He didn't think so.

Then, suddenly, the sound of an anguished scream filled the air, chilling Remus and the others down to the bone. It was Harry's scream. Ron stopped his ranting abruptly as his face took on a horrified look. Ginny's eyes grew round, and Fred and George winced. Molly held her hand to her mouth. Arthur, Kingsley, and Tonks merely looked grim. Sirius' and Remus' eyes darkened at the thought of pain being inflicted on Harry.

Moments after the screaming began, Kinsley started the complicated work of undoing the wards as every other person there took off at a sprint towards the back of the house, Sirius in the lead, Remus taking second. As they turned the corner, they could see that the back of the house was mostly in ruins. There was a giant hole in the back of the house, covering at least thirty feet in length, thirteen in height, revealing part of an upstairs room. Remus swore under his breath. The remains of the wall lay in a crumpled heap in the backyard and partially in the house. If Harry was under that pile, there'd be hell to pay.

But coming closer, they could see Harry was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. He looked weary and strained, not to mention hurt. Another figure was there, but they could only see them from behind and he was mostly hidden in shadow. A curse was shouted and Harry cried out in agony, making his rescuers run all the faster. Cuts were appearing all over Harry's body, as though he were being attacked by invisible knives. Then the figure vanished, just as they made their way over the rubble and into the kitchen.

Sirius and Remus made it there first. They took a moment to inspect the scene, looking all over for any other attackers and noticing the large, unconscious Vernon Dursley, then came to rest on Harry. Remus' heart felt ready to burst with anger, pain, and anxiousness. Horror was the emotion that won overall, and he knew Sirius felt the same. Harry looked even worse up close. Small slashes seeped blood all over him, but Harry took no notice; he seemed to be concentrating on staying conscious. His hair was messy (more-so than usual) and matted with sweat and blood. He was breathing heavily, and looked up questioningly at Remus and Sirius as they entered, as though trying to figure out why they had gotten there so late. Remus felt a pang of guilt before taking off with Sirius to where Harry stood.

Reaching Harry, both adults took hold of his shoulders to keep him steady, since he was swaying where he stood. Remus could feel the uncomfortable sensation of blood oozing under his fingers and grimaced. Just as he was about to ask if Harry was okay, Sirius beat him to it, slightly delayed. "HARRY! What happened! Are you alright?!"

For a moment, it looked as if Harry was going to speak. He opened his mouth to answer, but his eyes grew hazy and unfocused. Harry suddenly collapsed onto the kitchen counter, and Remus and Sirius caught him before he could injure himself further. Fear clutched Remus' heart, and together he and Sirius lowered Harry to the floor. At that moment, the others caught up and came clambering over the debris from the broken wall.

"HARRY!" several voices screamed in unison. Soon they formed a circle around Harry's motionless body.

"What happened to him?" Ron asked shakily, paling considerably while staring at the bloodstains spreading over Harry's clothes.

Sirius shifted Harry into his arms and held him close to his chest as gently as possible. "We don't know. He passed out before he could tell us." A battle of worry and resentment took place in his eyes. "We should have gotten here sooner!"

"It was my fault," Remus said quietly. "I practically _allowed_ it to happen."

Sirius shot Remus an apologetic glance. "I didn't mean it like that, Moony. There wasn't anything we could do…But if only…"

"We need to get help," Remus began, ignoring Sirius' previous statement. "Kingsley, I need you to go get Dumbledore and Poppy. Tonks, alert the rest of the Order of what's happened tonight. Tell them all to meet us at Headquarters."

Kingsley and Tonks nodded indomitably and disapparated. The rest looked up expectantly at Remus for instructions, eyes shining for their wounded friend.

Remus avoided their eyes and placed his fore and middle fingers on Harry's neck. A fluttering pulse met his fingertips.

"Is he going to be okay?" Ginny asked in a small voice, staring at Harry as though transfixed, yet dismayed. "He's loosing a lot of blood."

"We need to take him to Headquarters right away," Remus said, forcing himself to stay calm. "Sirius, can you carry him?"

Sirius nodded, lifted Harry into his arms, and stood.

"We'll meet back at Headquarters," Remus finished, standing as well.

Molly and Arthur had just grabbed hold of Ron's and Ginny's arms to apparate them to Grimmauld Place when some twenty _pop_s broke the tense silence. Dozens of Aurors were suddenly surrounding them, all with their wands pointed at the same group in the center.

"Stop where you are. We are here to apprehend a Mr. Harry Potter for misuse of magic, use of an Unforgivable, use of magic in the presence of a muggle, and use of magic _on_ a muggle. He will be taken to the ministry for immediate punishment for his second offense being so severe."

Every Weasley there, plus Remus and Sirius, had found their jaws dropping when they were told an _Unforgivable _had been used. There was no chance that Harry would have cast it, so it must have been used _on_ him. Anger flared inside of the eight people on Harry's side, and each was ready to burst.

"In case you haven't noticed," Remus began harshly, grounding out the words through gritted teeth. "Harry is _not_ in any condition to be put to a punishment trial, much less be taken to the ministry."

The Aurors eyes strayed to where a limp Harry lay in Sirius arms, cradled tightly against him, as though Sirius thought that Harry would be taken away from him at any moment. Their eyes widened in astonishment, but then Remus noticed that some of their eyes misted over for a second. They returned to normal so quickly that it was a surprise that Remus had caught it at all. That's why Remus was expecting it when a speeding flash of red light came towards them out of nowhere.

While the others stood stunned (not literally) as the light came nearer, Remus whipped out his wand and shouted, "PROTEGO!"

An enormous shield large enough to cover the Weasleys, Sirius, Harry and Remus formed in front of them, repelling the spell towards the Auror who had sent it. He fell to the ground instantly. And then it was war.

Flashes of light came from every one of the Aurors wands, but Remus' shield withheld them all. 'They are _not _going to get to Harry,' Remus thought with a growl. He felt every impact of the spells hitting the shield, but his will kept it strong enough to hold awhile. The group behind Remus' shield turned and gave him an expression that clearly asked what in the name of Merlin's beard was going on.

"They're imperioused," Remus answered. "The Death Eaters have them under their control. We need to leave. _Now._"

Everyone nodded obediently. Sirius tightened his grip on his godson, earning a slight moan from Harry in the process.

"Don't worry, kiddo, we're going to get you outta here. You're going to be okay," Sirius murmured gently.

To himself, Remus nodded in agreement. They _would_ get Harry out safely.

"Sirius, Molly—you two take all the kids back the Headquarters. Arthur and I will fend off the Aurors."

Molly was about to protest when Arthur waved it away. "We can handle it. The kids' safety is more important. We'll meet you back at HQ in a little while."

With one last understanding glance, Molly turned her attention to Ron and Ginny, grabbing their hands. She nodded to Fred and George, then to Sirius, and then they were gone in a series of _pop_s, like that of popcorn over the stove. Arthur and Remus returned to the battle.

The Aurors had not given up trying to break Remus' shield, oblivious to the fact that their former target had disappeared already. The spells were getting stronger, and Remus began to sweat profusely under the pressure of trying to keep the shield up, seeing it wither with his lack of drive. He turned to Arthur.

"I can't hold the shield much longer. Get ready."

Arthur steadied his stance and gripped his wand firmly, watching the shield intently. Another stunner spell hit it and the shield exploded in millions of little magic particles. The Aurors moved in closer as a whole, which might have reminded Harry of a zombie movie had he been there and conscious. Remus and Arthur jumped separate ways as twenty spells came zooming their way. Remus rolled onto the floor and came up on the other side of the counter, shooting a Petrificus Totalus as soon as he rose. Arthur slid across the kitchen tiles and aimed his stunner at the nearest Auror from the ground.

Remus spared a glance at Arthur and saw that he was fairing well on his own. In that one moment of lapsed attention, however, Remus didn't see a Crucio spell coming from behind. His magical Sight that he had been perfecting for the past few years picked up the magical trace, and he was able to dodge at the last second, crouching low to the floor and spinning around quickly to stun the one responsible. Deciding that using his Sight was the best way to handle this situation since he was greatly outnumbered, Remus closed his eyes and focused on the magic around him.

On the inside of his eyelids, Remus could see everything in what was almost inversed color. Everything was dark, except for magical traces. The wizards in the room each were made of a colored light, though the color was different depending on whether they were for the Dark or the Light. Dark wizards were red, while Light wizards were blue. Spells were their respected colors, and non-magical items were dull, ghostly white. Remus saw the magical presence of four Aurors behind him, and pivoted on the spot to face them, stunning each in turn before they could register what was happening. There were only about six Aurors left.

Luckily, they didn't need to fight them anymore. All six of the remaining Aurors suddenly pitched forward where they were standing, unconscious. Remus walked over to one and nudged him with his toe to make sure he wasn't awake.

"Their puppeteers must have been called to their master," Remus said gravely. Let's go. We need to get to Harry."

In a swish of cloaks, Remus and Arthur were gone, one of them feeling as though part of them was dying inside from seeing a person they loved in pain. That would explain the water droplets that whirled through the air at the spot where Remus once stood, plopping down on the floor with delicate splashes. His tears on the sight of where the pain occurred.

**A/N: **There it is, folks! Chapter two. I've been working my arse off for the past two days on this chapter, so I hope you like it. And it wasn't easy seeing as how I was cleaning my house most of today or otherwise being dragged away to house hunt…I thought this chapter was a success. Please let me know what you think! There's a magically telepathic way you can send me your thoughts—push the button below! Trust me, its works!!! Just no flames, please. I don't want to feel too bad about my fanfiction…


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